Ancient And Dark
by thelilacfield
Summary: Harry, Ron and Hermione try to find out more about the thing possessing Ginny. But will a revelation force them to take a journey that may prove futile? Trio-centric


**A/N: Second story in my new series. I do not reccomend this story if you get scared easily. Enjoy.**

Ancient And Dark

For weeks Harry kept a secret what had happened between him and Ginny in the drawing room. Everyone was worried enough without thinking that something inside Ginny wanted to kill him. Christmas and New Year passed, miserable affairs without the Weasleys together. Harry tried not to be alone with Ginny. He heard her moaning and crying out as she slept and ached to comfort her. All that sustained him through the misery and worry and fear was the thought of getting back to Hogwarts and telling Dumbledore.

When they returned to Hogwarts it was to find renewed and strengthened security measures everywhere. Curfew was reinforced, with patrols at night. Younger students were walked to classes. The Floo Network and all methods of communication to outside the school were being monitored. There were guards, big, ugly trolls outside every common room.

Two weeks after returning to school, Harry succeeded in bunking off Potions and going to visit Dumbledore. His mind had been turning things over and over, wondering what was going on. Was Voldemort possessing Ginny? But the voice that had spoken through her hadn't been Voldemort's. And Harry had never seen someone possessed faint like that. As he stepped off the golden staircase Dumbledore's weary voice called "Enter."

"Ah, Harry, I've been expecting you," Dumbledore said, twinkling over his glasses. "Alastor told me about what passed between you and Ginny." Of course, Moody's magical eye! Harry had completely forgotten that Moody might at least see what had happened.

"Uh, Professor, I thought that maybe Voldemort was possessing Ginny," Harry said uncertainly. He knew as soon as he said it that he was wrong.

"I doubt that, Mr Potter," Dumbledore said. "While the condition sounds very much like possession, I do not think it is Voldemort." He dropped a dusty, black book onto the desk with a loud _thunk_. "This book details old wizarding legends. It tells of an ancient evil that was defeated many millennia ago by a hero. But this monster, if you can call it that, was immortal and could not die. So now it lies dormant in the darkest parts of the world, creeping into man's nightmares and inspiring terror in even the bravest of us. Some say that it is growing stronger. Others say that it uses mortals as stepping stones, possesses their minds and bodies and is slowly recovering life."

"And you think this thing is real and is possessing Ginny?" asked Harry.

"I do think so, Harry," Dumbledore said. "But I am not always right."

Heading back to the common room to find an amazed Ron and an indignant Hermione, Harry described his talk with Dumbledore. When he reached the telling of the legend Hermione gasped.

"I know that legend!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement. "And the hero was named Reginald."

"Poor guy," Ron sniggered.

"Oh, shut up, Ron!" Hermione said exasperatedly. "What I mean is, the hero was Reginald Potter, Harry, one of your ancestors!" This new revelation shocked Harry into silence while Ron continued sniggering at the idea that Harry had an ancestor named Reginald.

"But it's just a legend, right Hermione?" Ron half-stated, half-asked as his sniggers died away.

"I'm not so sure," Hermione said. "After all, Reginald Potter was real-oh, stop laughing, Ron-because I've checked records and there's an obituary for Reginald P. Potter-I swear, Ronald Weasley, if you don't shut up-and I'm pretty sure that Reginald was famous for defeating some monster-that's it Ron!" Hermione swiftly shot a jinx at a breathless Ron and turned back to Harry. "So it seems like this 'ancient evil' could be the problem."

"That's right," came an eerie voice. All three turned to see Moaning Myrtle floating behind them. "I once knew a ghost," she began reminiscently. "Who died after numerous episodes like the ones your friend is having. After the post-mortem Healers found a strange growth in her heart, a black lump about as big as a walnut. Something had got inside her and she'd died because of it."

"So you're saying that my sister is going to die!" Ron said hotly, looking ready to punch Myrtle.

"No," Myrtle replied. "Since then Healers have discovered a way to rid the body of this growth. You have to attack the virus at its source." With those words she disappeared.

"Well, that was a big help," Ron said sarcastically, turning back to his homework.

"It was!" said Hermione excitedly. "Don't you see? Myrtle's just confirmed that this legend is real and the way to save Ginny is to attack whatever it is at its source."

"Yeah," said Harry. "But where is its source? Dumbledore said something about it lurking in the darkest part of the world." They were interrupted by Ginny walking in. Harry saw the tell-tale deathly pallor and the gleam of red eyes.

"Harry Potter," said the ancient evil. "I've come for your blood. Your ancestor sliced me to pieces, scattering my conscious so thin I could not form a body again. I lay in wait, using mere mortals to gather myself together, piece by tiny piece. Soon I will leave this weak body whole again and then you will tremble at my power."

"Who are you?" said Hermione boldly. The monster smiled with Ginny's lips.

"I am your worst nightmare," it murmured. "I crush your hopes and dreams, bring to the surface your fears, make you feel anger and fear so intense it can kill you."

"Where are you?" Ron asked in a mouse squeak. "Where is your source?"

"I am everywhere," the monster said. "I am in your heart and soul and mind. I will curl tendrils of darkness around you, destroying all happiness. My source is in the darkest place on Earth, a terrifying place. For your sake, don't go there." The monster gave an evil laugh that continued on and on, shaking the walls and rattling the teeth in Harry's mouth. Suddenly there was a cold rush of wind and a black dust seemed to crawl out from Ginny's body and sink into the floor. Rushing forward, Ron caught his sister as she collapsed, still deathly pale, her breathing weak. Ron looked at Harry and his face was terrified.

"What do we do now?" he asked.

"The darkest place on Earth," Hermione mused. She paced back and forth for a few minutes while Harry watched and Ron bribed an 'ickle firstie' with a packet of chocolate frogs to take Ginny to the Hospital Wing. Comprehension suddenly seemed to strike Hermione like a thunderbolt. "Antarctica!" she exclaimed.

"You are joking!" Ron said. "I am not going to Antarctica when I could be in a nice warm castle."

"Ron," Hermione said, reaching out a hand. "For Ginny." Ron looked uncertain then took the hand.

"It's settled then," said Harry. "We leave at midnight."

**A/N: Please review and tell me if I've come up with a good monster!**


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